FELIZ CINCO DE MAYO: PINEAPPLE SALSA RECIPE

In the spirit of Cinco de Mayo and my love for the pineapple that truly goes deep, I’m serving up a festive salsa de piña that is sure to impress all your amigas! La receta es muy rica!!

If you follow me regularly, you know I’m learning Espanol. Learning a new language is a continuous process that never really ends. It’s a challenge I really love being pushed by and even though I get so self-conscious practicing in front of native speakers, I try to push myself outside of my comfort zone in order to make gains. Sometimes I wish I had more time to devote to it, but I think it’s all about finding opportunities to practice where you never thought existing. I’m often starting up conversations with strangers asking: “Habla Español?” so I can squeeze in un pocitode pratica in my daily life.

What I’ve taken notice to in the process is how hard on myself I can be! I was already aware of this to some extent, however, it’s been emphasized so greatly in this process. This not-so-lovely lil’ piece of my personality can be my ultimate downfall. I’ve had to call in my mindful mind big time. Learning to enjoy the process and embrace the gains I have made has become a main focus of mine in this journey.

You know that list of things that you say “One day I’d like to…” to? This was one of them for me! And actually I was only motivated to do it after a breakup where I hit a low. It’s amazing what a little perspective can do. So, I’m sharing this because my wish for everyone is that we don’t wait until we hit the lows to do something we’ve always wanted to accomplish. The cliche saying: “Life is short” has so much truth to it. Taking action regardless of the fear, is SO super scary. Trust me, my anxious mind knows how you feel. However, we always get through and I find that small action we take can really inspire us and strengthen us where we continue to make moves that we’ve always wanted in order to build the lives we want.

OK- sorry, I may have gotten a little motivational speaker on you there. Let’s get to the good stuff! And by that I mean, la comida (the FOOD!).

Additionally, if you follow me regularly, you know I will suggest to have this salsa de piña recipe with a margarita or fruita fesca cocktail. Don’t you worry, I have a recipe coming at you next week for something tasty using one of my favourite spirits – mezcal!

So go on, entrar en la cocina y cocinar esto!!!

Feliz Cinco de Mayo!!!

SALSA DE PIÑA

Que necesitas

1 pineapple (if your not using it as a bowl you only need ½ of the pineapple or 1 cup of diced pineapple)

1 red bell pepper, diced into small pieces

½ of a small red onion, diced

1 avocado, diced into small chunks

juice of 1 lime

salt and pepper to your liking

~ 1 tbsp of jalapeno pepper, diced finely (optional)

Como harcelos

Cut your pineapple in half. Be very careful doing this! Save one half for another time. Using a knife, carve out pineapple chunks from the other half. I ended up with about 8 big chunks. Scoop them out with a spoon. The core can be difficult to cut through, so I cut around this and then removed the core pieces last. Scrape out any left of pineapple flesh. Save the pineapple juice too! You now have a pineapple bowl! Set aside.

Chop up the pineapple chunks you removed into small chunks.

Prep the rest of your ingredients by dicing the red pepper, red onion and avocado. Place all in the bowl with the pineapple.

Optional: Add in minced jalapeno pepper for a bit of heat!

Juice your lime and pour on top of your veggies. Add in the pineapple juice you saved. Season well with salt and pepper and mix it all up.

Mince the cilantro and add in last. I also used some as garnish on top.

Keep in fridge until ready to serve. I recommend making it close to the time you are going to serve because the avocado will brown and get mushy. Serve with blue corn chips (or whatever you desire). Oh, and a shot of tequila, it’s Cinco de Mayo – tiempo para celebrar!

Do you have experience learning a new language? What worked for you? What else did you learn in the process? Share with me below!

You can learn more about my fave Spanish tutor, Ella Maggay here. She’s a perfect balance of hard work and divirtiéndose! Ella has lots of experience and a positive attitude when it comes to learning a new language, and I credit her for helping me maintain mi optimismo that one day I’ll be fluent.